Faith

The bible says that “faith without works is dead”. We read in the book of Hebrews over and over of people who “by faith”… did!! They all acted through obedience and trusted in the promise of God… Paul writes, “by grace ye are saved, through faith”. In modern english – Through trust in God’s word and obedience to it’s commands, you are saved by His grace!!

Genesis 22
1 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.
2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

This man had no historical writings of God’s dealings with man to look back on, no comforting thoughts, no bible… Just a promise, trust and obedience.

3 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.
4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.
5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.

God had promised to establish nations through Isaac and Abraham clearly believed Him. He knew He was going to sacrifice His son but he knew that they would both be coming back! Ressurection was only an idea back then and had not been done before.

6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.
7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?
8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

He believed that God would provide and was resolute to his task but surely every step must have been a dagger in Abraham’s heart. Walking with his dearly loved son, watching his child lovingly walk beside him as for the last time.

9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.
10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
11 And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.
12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

“for now I know” And there is faith. Without faith it is impossible to please God and faith without obedience is dead! Faith is to believe and to obey. Both are required. One without the other cannot be faith! One is simply a knowledge and the other is an empty deed.

Consider for a moment the relief/release at this point! Abraham’s faith had been tested to the fullest point but his trust and obedience to God would not be shaken. His son had been spared and they would indeed return together!

13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.

Ah, the rejoicing, the delight, the joy that sacrifice must have been!!! A cherished son spared and the ram offered to God in His place! What a wonderful day it was when Abraham offered up to God that thing he held most dear to him. That which God had required! His heart must have skipped down that mountain, bursting with jubilation at God’s favour and blessing!

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And consider, when it came to sacrificing His own son, God did not spare. Jesus Christ died in our place. What a contrast for the fathers here. What an image of mankind as a ram – Alone, lost, trapped by our own pride, useless and worthless compared to the son… Oh what a Heavenly father we have!

God did not spare His own son.